Divisions between the top two powers in golf continue to dominate headlines, leading one major winner to suggest the sport will never again boast a united front.
Mark Brooks, a previous winner of the PGA Championship, has emphasized his significant apprehensions regarding the prevailing “disorder” in the world of golf.
In recent times, the sport has experienced fragmentation due to the rise of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League, which has emerged as a legitimate competitor to the PGA Tour. Consequently, the PGA Tour has implemented substantial modifications to specific tournaments in order to maintain its competitiveness. These alterations include larger prize money and events without any elimination rounds, mirroring the format adopted by the LIV Golf League.
It’s paved the way for a radically different golf landscape, where some of the biggest names in the sport are no longer competing at majors and players being far more tactical about the competitions they play. And debate continues regarding a resolution between the two warring parties despite the two organisations initially agreeing to merge in June 2023.
Speaking ahead of this year’s PGA Championship, Brooks – who won the PGA title in 1996 – said he was “surprised it took this long for some kind of splintering to happen.” The 63-year-old played a significant role in forming the Tour Players Association – which was for all purposes a form of union – in the 1990s and believes a similar group today could have prevented a lot of drama.
He expressed his belief that the situation is complete chaos and that it will be extremely challenging to restore order and bring everything back to normal. According to him, individuals are not willing to return and lack the desire to do so.
LIV Golf continues to attract top talents by offering enormous financial rewards, as evidenced by Jon Rahm’s decision to join in December 2023 for a reported sum ranging from £315 million to £470 million. The PGA Tour is unable to match such figures, and considering the substantial investments made by Saudi investors in sports, it seems probable that the departure will be permanent.
The result of this has been a dilution of the average PGA Tour field in comparison to previous years. This can be seen as an indication of a more competitive field overall, as Brooks acknowledges the positive aspect of many top players choosing to participate in other tournaments.
Brooks further commented, “A few of these tournaments can be described as having a shallow pool of talent, limited to the top 70 players. Beyond that, the competition becomes more intense. They are not extending invitations to past champions like myself. They are not delving into that level of depth.”
However, it is likely that around 15 events this year will have a significantly lower level of competition among the top 70 players. One might question the significance of such events, but they do hold importance. Can you believe it? If I remove 62 players from the top 70 in a tournament, my chances of winning would undoubtedly improve.
Dustin Johnson, a former top-ranked golfer, emerged victorious in the first-ever LIV Golf League championship in 2022. However, Talor Gooch claimed the crown in the following year. Presently, Joaquin Niemann from Chile is leading the 2024 money list, having won multiple events this year. It’s worth noting that LIV’s viewership numbers are still smaller compared to the PGA’s.
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